Station-indicator.



m; 999,924. Pat ented May 13, mm.

P. c. LUETHY. STATION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 21. 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented May l3, I902. F. G. LUETHY. STATION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1901..)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

M W. I

Patented May I3, 1902.

F. G. LUETHY. STATION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 21. 1901.)

(No Modgl.)

.m uumzuz 9s .m UDTMZZZDW firm Hm No. 699,924. Patented May l3, I902.

F. C. LUETHY.

STATION INDICATOR.

(Application filed vOct. 21, 1901.)

I Sheets$heet 4,

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FREDRICK o. IIUETHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

I STATION-INDICATOR.

-$PECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0-. 699,924, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed October 21, 1901. $erial No. 79,470. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern: I

Chicago, in the county of (look andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Station-Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in automatic station-indicators of that class in which the names of the streets or stations are consecutively displayed within the car.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character which will require no adjustment or regulation at the end of a trip and which will operate automatically and without regard to the distance between stations or the length of stops at stations.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of astreet-railway car, illustratingthe application of a station-indicator in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the device on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus on the line3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a'sectional plan view of a portion of the mechanism on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. portion of the strip containing the names of the streets or stations to be successively displayed. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the strip-feeding rollers. Fig. 7 is a detail section through the ends of the rollers. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of the actuating-lever arranged under the car on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are views of detailof the, mechanism for transmitting the movements of the operating-lever to the feed-rollers.

10'designates a suitable housing or casing for the reception of the station or street indicating strip and its operating mechanism, said casing being provided with a transparent glass front 11 and being situated at any convenient point within the car, preferably at a Fig. 5 is a detailview of a point above the front door. The casing 10, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3, is divided intotwo compartments 12 and 13 by a suitable partition 14, the compartment 12 being adapted to receive the station-indicatingstrip and its guiding and feeding rollers, and a compartment 13 being arranged for the reception of the actuating mechanism for the feeding-rollers. The station-indicating strip 15 is in the form of a continuous belt having at each side a series of perforations 16, adapted to be engaged by the teeth 17 of a feed-roller 18, the latter being provided with suitable gudgeons or a shaft 19, adapted to bearings formed at one end of the casing and at a corresponding point in the partition 14. The outer end of the shaft at a point within the partition 14 is provided with a pinion 20, intermeshing with a pinion 21 on a shaft 22, carrying a mating feed-roller 23, the opposite end portions of which are provided with suitable recesses24 for the admission of the teeth 17 of the roller 18. The rollers when properly actuated will feed the strip a predetermined distance at each movement, and the engagement of the pins 17 with the openings 16 in the opposite edges of the strip will insure an even and regular movement of said strip. In order to prevent the winding of the strip upon one or other'of said rollers, each roller is provided with a number of annular grooves 26, in which fit guard-teeth 27, carried by a fixed guard-plate 28. The teeth 27 are at all times at apoint within the periphery of the roller, so that there will be no danger of the points of the finger engaging with the strip. In order. to provide for the adjustment of the relative distance between the rollers, the end of the casing and the partitions 14 are each provided'with a horizontal slot adapted for the reception of an adjustable block 29, the inner end of which engages with the bearing of the shaft 22 and the outer end of which is in operative contact with a vertical disposedstrip of spring metal 30. The upper end of the strip 80 is rigidly secured in position and at a point below the securing-point. The vertical edges of the casing and'of the partitions are provided with recesses 31 to permit of the inward movement of the spring 30. The spring 30 is adjusted by a screw 82, and any desired pressure may be exerted to force the roller 23 into contact with the main feed-roller 18.

In the upper portion of the compartment 2 are a series of rods or rollers 34, 35, and 36, over which the strip is guided, and with the latter rod or roller engages a friction-bar 37, which presses upon the strip and to some extent retards its movement, so that between this point and the feed-rollers in the lower portion of the casing the strip will be maintained in a taut position. The degree of pressure exerted by the bar 37 upon the strip is governed by screws 38, extending through a guiding-plate 39, immediately in the rear of and parallel with the glass front 11, said screws hearing at their inner ends upon a rod 40, and the inward movement of the latter acting to compress a spring 41, situated between said bar and the friction-bar 37. The strip is guided by the various rollers and by the plate 39 and the feed-rollers, and being fed into the lower front portion of the compartment will extend in layers within the compartment, while any overlapping or looseness at the exposure-opening is prevented by the friction-bar 37.

In the compartment 13 is secured a fixed shaft 50, 011 which is loosely mounted a gearwheel 51, the teeth of which engage with the teeth of a pinion 20 and revolve the same for a predetermined distance at each operation. To one side of the gear-wheel is secured a ring 52, the periphery of which is provided at diametrically opposite points with recesses 53 for the reception of a locking-dog 54:, carried by a suitable lever 55, fulerumed about midway of its length on a fixed pin or stud 56, and said stud is provided with atorsion-spring 57, having one of its ends engaging with the lever and adapted at all times to force the locking-dog into ongagement with one of the locking-recesses 43 or into contact with the periphery of the ring 52. At the outer end of the lever 55 is pivoted an arm 58, having at its upper end a cam 55). The outer end of the lever 55 is provided with a shoulder 60, against which the arm 58 is normally pressed by a torsion-spring 61, the arm being free to move outwardly or away from the center of the shaft 50, but any inward movement of said arm resulting in the release of the dog 5st from the locking-recess 53, with which it is engaged.

Mounted loosely on the shaft at a point within the ring 52 is a disk 62, to the outer portion of which is pivoted a pawl 03, normally pressed away from the center of the disk by a spring O-l. The pawl is adapted to engage alternately with notches or recesses (35, formed at diametrically opposite points in the inner surface of the ring 52 and such recesses being in the present instance in a plane at right angles to the plane of the recesses in the outer surface of the ring.

Mounted loosely on the fixed shaft 50 is a grooved wheel 67, to which is secured one end of a cord or chain 68, the latter extending around a portion of the periphery of the wheel and thence passing over suitable guiding-pulleys to the lower portion of the car, at which point its opposite end is connected to the operating-lever 69. The wheel 67 is connected by a spiral spring 70 to the disk 62 and transmits to the latter the movement imparted by the lever 60. As this movement may be somewhat violent the spring is employed to take up the jar, and at the same time as the movement of the diskis positively fixed and the movement of the wheel 67 is variable any excessive movement of the latter will be taken up by said spring. To one side of the wheel 67 is also secured a spiral spring 72, the inner end of the spring being secured to the fixed shaft 50. This spring 72 serves to return the wheel (57 and the disk (32 to initial position after each operation.

Projecting from the inner side of the disk 67 is a pin 73, adapted for engagement with the cam 59, and the operation of this portion of the mechanism is as follows: A pull on the cord (38 results in the rotation of the disk (37 and the engagement of the pin 73 with the outer face of the cam 59. This movement forces the arm 58 toward the center of the shaft and disengages the dog 5i from the recess 53, permitting the rotation of the ring 52 and gear-wheel 51 by the engagement of the pawl 63 with one of the recesses 65 in the interior of the ring 52. As soon as the pin 73 has passed beyond the cam 59 the dog 54: is forced by the spring 57 into contact with the periphery of the ring 52 and slides on the latter until the diametrically opposite recess 53 comes into alinement with the dog. The dog entering the recess locks the ring and prevents further movement and any further rotation of the wheel 57 is taken up by the spring 70. On the release of the cord the spiral spring 72 moves the wheel 67 to its initial position, and on this return movement the pin 73 engages with the inner face of the cam 59 and forces the arm 58 outwardly, the spring 01 and the pivotal connection between the arm 58 and the lever permitting this movement. After the pin has passed beyond the lower edge of the cam the latter moves inwardly, leaving the pin in proper position for engagement with the outer face of the cam at the next operation. The return movement of the wheel 67 is imparted to the disk 02 through the medium of the spring 70, and the pawl 68 is traveled a sufficient distance to engage with the second notch or recess of the ring At suitable points on the roadway over which the car or train is traveling are stops or projections for the engagement of the lower end of the operating-lever 69, one of such projections being situated in proximity to each street or station. In the present instance I employ small plates 75, secured to the sides of the supporting-rails and having their upper ends projecting a slight distance above The levers 159 are fulthe tread of the rail.

crumed at 76 to a fixed point immediately in the rear of the front wheel or front truck of the car, and at its lower end is provided with an antifriction-roller 7 6, adapted to engage the projection 75. The upper end of the lever is connected by a tension-spring 78 to a suitable fixed point to insure its return to a vertical position after each operation. The cord or chain 68 is guided between two rollers 79, situated on each side of the vertical center of the lever 69, as shown in Fig 1, the extreme end of the cord being attached to theupper end of the lever. Each time the lever makes contact with one of the projections onthe'line the indicator will be operated and the name of the next street or station will be displayed by the indicator.

While the structure herein described is that of the preferred form, it is obvious that many changes and modifications of the form, proportions, and detail of construction may be made without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is--- 1. In a station-indicator, a casing, an endless strip or band contained therein and hearing the names of the stations, there being in the opposite edges of said strip equidistant openings, a pair of feed-rollers between which said stripis guided, one of such rollers having teeth for the engagement of the openings in the strip, and the opposite rollers having openings to receive said teeth, and mechanism for actuating said rollers.

2. 111 a station-indicator,the combination of the box or casing, an endless strip or band bearing the names of the stations, there being in the opposite edges of said strip openings for the reception of feeding-teeth, a pair of feeding-rollers arranged in the lower portion of the casing and having a series of annular grooves,- one of said rollers being provided with teeth for engagement in the strip-openings, means for operating said rollers, guards having fingers facing in opposite directions and adapted to the annular grooves in the rollers, strip-guiding devices arranged at the upper portion of the casing, and a frictionbar adapted to engage-with the strip in advance of'the exposure-point.

3. In a device of the class described, a pair of feeding-rollers between which the stationindicating strip or belt is guided and fed, an adjustable block arranged in contact with one of said rollers, a spring normally actingon the opposite end of said block, and means for adjusting said spring to increase or decrease the pressure of the feeding-rollers, substan tially as described.

4. In a station-indicaton'an indicating strip, a feeding-roller therefor, and mechanism for operating said feeding-roller, said mechanism comprising a gear-wheel mounted loosely on a shaft'and operatively connected a primary gear mountedloosely thereon, a

ring secured to one side of said gear-Wheel and having recesses in its inner and outer faces, a dog adapted for locking engagement in the outer recesses, a'pivoted lever carry ing said dog, an arm pivoted to said lever, a cam carried by said arm, a disk also mounted loosely on the shaft, a pawl carried by the disk for engagement in the inner recesses of said ring, a rope wheel also mounted loosely on the 'shaft, a spring connecting said wheel to said disk, a return-spring connecting the wheel to the stationary shaft, and a pin carried by said wheel for engagement with said cam, substantially as described.

6; In a station-indicator, the combination with the indicating devices, of an actuating mechanism comprising awheel having a fixed limit of rotative movement, an operating wheel having a variable movement, and a yielding connection betweensaid operatingwheel and'said first-named wheel, substan-' tially as described.

7. In a station-indicating mechanism, the combination with 'indicatingdevices, of a primary wheel adapted to receive a rotative movement of variable extent, a second wheel connected to the indicating devices andhav ing a fixed predetermined limit of movement, means for releasing and locking said second wheel, and a yielding connection between the two wheels, substantially as'described.

"8. In a station-indicator, an indicating device, an operating-lever pivoted under the car and adapted for'yielding operative engagement in both directions with a series of projections on the roadway, an operating rope or chain extending between the upper end of said lever and the indicating mechanism, a vertically-disposed spring connecting the upper end of said lever to'a fixed point, and guiding-rollers situated one on either side of the vertical center of the lever and adapted to receive and guide the rope or chain.

In testimony that'I claim-the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed'my signature'i presence of two witnesses.

FREDRICK O. .LUETHY.

Witnesses:

J. D. HARMON, FRANZ SENGE. 

